Intel outlines particulars of first PC chip made on its new manufacturing tech

Intel on Thursday unveiled key particulars of its upcoming Panther Lake laptop computer processor, the primary chip constructed on its next-generation 18A manufacturing course of, aiming to persuade traders its pricey turnaround plan can restore its manufacturing edge.

The rollout of Panther Lake, aimed toward high-end, synthetic intelligence-enabled laptops, is a significant take a look at of Intel’s capability to scale its 18A manufacturing expertise and reclaim PC market share misplaced to rival AMD.

Intel mentioned graphics and central processors built-in in Panther Lake ship 50% sooner efficiency than its earlier era of chips, Lunar Lake, which was largely made by rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

The 18A course of features a new transistor design and a technique of delivering power to the chip extra effectively.

The Panther Lake makes use of a ‘system-on-chip’ design that often integrates varied elements comparable to a graphic processor and a central processing unit on to a single circuit.

The processor will start ramping up manufacturing this 12 months, with the primary unit slated to ship earlier than 2025 finish. It might be broadly obtainable from January 2026.

Reuters had on Tuesday reported particulars concerning the chip’s specs and availability.

“Panther Lake is extremely important to Intel on many different levels,” mentioned Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

It might function a “confirmation of the company’s continued advancements in semiconductor manufacturing and show the kind of chips that their fabs can produce”, he mentioned.

New CEO Lip-Bu Tan has within the latest months sharply scaled again the large manufacturing enlargement pushed by his predecessor Pat Gelsinger. In July, Intel warned it might halt the event of its future 14A course of except it will get a buyer.

After U.S. President Donald Trump referred to as for Tan’s resignation in August, Intel drew new investments from SoftBank Group and Nvidia. Following Tan’s assembly with Trump and White House officers, the administration transformed a deliberate CHIPS Act grant right into a 9.9% fairness stake within the firm.

The new applied sciences “are catalysts for innovation across our business as we build a new Intel”, Tan mentioned on Thursday.

The firm’s chip manufacturing facility in Arizona, often called Fab 52, is now totally operational and set to achieve high-volume manufacturing utilizing 18A later this 12 months.

Intel’s new server processor Clearwater Forest, which might be launched within the first half of 2026, can be being made at Fab 52.

While Intel has but to realize traction within the AI graphics processor market dominated by Nvidia, it expects Clearwater Forest will assist it seize a share in AI information facilities because of its energy effectivity.